UPDATE 1/7 Widen I-77 Files Motion to Stay

UPDATE: Judge Smith will hear our Motion to Stay as the first order of business tomorrow. PLEASE KEEP YOUR PLANS TO BE IN COURT TOMORROW. Same time and place.
If the motion is denied, oral arguments will proceed as originally scheduled.
Mecklenburg County Courthouse
832 East Fourth Street
Charlotte, NC
Courtroom 6170
10am, January 8, 2016

Today we instructed our attorney to file a Motion to Stay. We are basically asking the court to hit the “pause” button for a moment. The WI77 board unanimously agreed to taking this action for a number of reasons.

First, unlike when we first filed suit, there is now considerable public debate, and that debate will only increase over the next couple weeks. Judges can be reluctant to step in and squelch public debate with a ruling. In legal terms, there is a good possibility our case is no longer “ripe.” That doesn’t mean it’s invalid- to the contrary this changes nothing in our legal argument- but rather it’s not time to resort to litigation. There was a good possibility the judge himself could have ordered a stay; we prefer to remain consistent with our philosophy of pursuing litigation as a last resort and do not want to put the judge in the position of having to tell us that.

Second, given the above, granting the Stay is a de facto admission that this is no longer a “done deal” despite what toll proponents have been saying for years.

Third, our action emphasizes the confusion and chaos created by Governor McCrory’s letter.

Fourth, it puts our elected officials in the appropriate position of needing to advocate and represent our interests. If any of you saw Commissioners Jim Puckett and Pat Cotham at last night’s BOCC meeting, you know we’re fortunate to have some wonderful representation. But it’s time for our state officials to also step up and engage the Charlotte City Council on our behalf, especially those whose districts include parts of Charlotte.

Fifth, our action turns the tables. Where once we had a CRTPO decision hanging over our head, now CRTPO has a lawsuit hanging over theirs. Because rest assured, if after all this they vote to re-affirm this awful project, the next day we will be in court filing a motion to lift the stay.

We know many of you have made contributions expecting a legal case. Again, thanks to you we’re fully prepared to do that. Your contributions put the bullets in our revolver. But we also know stopping this project is the most important objective right now, and based on the above we firmly believe this action gives us the best shot at doing just that.

Has the use of tolls for all lanes been investigated? Since much of the traffic on I-77 is from non-residents of our area, wouldn’t it make sense to try to have the help of those “outsiders” using our roads pay for additional lanes. The toll could be a minimal fee so as not to hurt local residents, but with everyone using the road “chipping in”, small amounts add up quickly. The toll road could be from Statesville all the way to the SC line. This is how many states pay for their highways. (Think NYS Thruway) Same could be done on any other highways in the area, or state for that matter.

@Kurt Naas I hope the councilmen votes no on tolls. I-77 is functionally obsolete like I-95. They have structurally deficient bridges, 1960s quality 2 lanes and congestion gets worse!!! They need to be like I-85. 77 & 95 should be widened to 4 lanes in each direction and replace structurally deficient bridges for safety’s sake.

What’s it going to be? A wall around the area to keep citizens safe, or tolls? Economic discrimination is best served when it’s silent. Keep the minorities out of the area, and in Charlotte, where they belong. Ain’t no brother gonna spend $5.00 on a toll to ride down the interstate, thus opening up hte space for wealthy white people.

Contact me immediately. I have a solution I want to propose. I can develop a mobile app that will allow a hybrid model where additional lanes of I-77 can be tolled during certain hours of the day and free during others to be determined and controlled by the State govt. It’ll be far more efficient than constructing and staffing toll booths so it’ll be exceptionally more cost effective. We are all going to pay for the additional lanes one way or another, either through tax or toll, let me do it cheaper and I’ll have the State recoup the 300M termination fee to Cintra in no time by saving that much money on recurring operational costs and less infrastructure. Separate toll roads are prime for technological disruption. I can break this stalemate but if they sign a 50 yr noncompete it’ll be the biggest mistake in the history of Charlotte nor do I think it should be allowed to outsource the provision of public goods to private foreign investors. Technology can provide the perfect compromise and simply saying no to toll roads isn’t enough. Someone needs to step up and say here’s a better solution. 269-760-0648. Get me in touch with the commissioners and we’ll have a proposal put together in time for the January 11th meeting. Let this be a defining moment in Charlotte’s history but you have to get me in touch with the State representatives and stakeholders IMMEDIATELY.

One provision states that any N.C. district considering building a Toll Road must give Cintra the opportunity to build the road. That provision is effective for the next 50 years.

The most devastating provision is one that states if the companies do not receive the expected income from the tolls, the N.C taxpayer will be obligated to make up the difference. Web sites available for you to contact the N.C. senators and representatives to learn more. http://www.ncdot., http://www.charlesjeter and http://www.widen 1-77. please put on
Please call your N.C. Senator and N.C. Representatives and urge them to support Charles Jeter’s bill to terminate the I-77 Toll Road contract. This bill is to be introduced this coming Monday, April 25th.

Please, like Paul Revere, spread the word. Please ask your friends and neighbors
to call their N.C. State Representatives and N.C. Senators and urge them to support Charles Jeter’s bill to cancel/terminate this contract
between NCDOT/Cintra/ I-77 Mobility Partners LLC, I-77 Mobility Partners Holding Co. LLC. We understand some representatives and senators were not told of the provisions of this contract. . We need to get the word out and stop this 50 year contract. Do you want to pay to their heirs. North Carolina will not gain from any profits until 50 years is up.
Pleaes put on your facebook and twitter page.

STOP THE I-77 TOLL ROAD
TODAY WE NEED TO GET OUT THE VOTE. PLEASE CALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND
ASK THEM TO PLEASE SEND THE ABOVE MESSAGE TO THEIR N.C. REPRESENTATIVES AND N.C. SENATORS TO VOTE FOR CHARLES JETER’s NEW BILL: TERMINATE I-77 TOLL ROAD
WEB SITE:Senators: https://www.govtrack.us/ and N.C. Representatives;https://www.govtrack.us/congressmembers/NC

Thank you,
Concerned Citizens from cousins in SURRY COUNTY AND HENDERSON
COUNTY.